The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-04-22
EBENsBURG. PA. FRIDAY. APRIL % 1887

was shut up when l got there an l
spent an hour walking up and down be-
fore the house, staring at the dark
windows.
The time seemed very long until the
next evening, and l went over to the
parsonage very early; but Dolly was not
there.
She's gone to spend the evening
somewhere" said the dominic kindly.
81 suppose she forgot TO leave word
for you to come for her. She isn't very
well, either; cold, 1 suppose. l know
generally caught cold at party when
1 was young and attended such enter
tainments. I hope she'll be careful.
. Her poor mother died OF oonsumP-
ton.
My heart gave great leap.
thought Dolly Ill, dying, even dead,
and went out into the kitchen to ask
the servant II Dolly left any message for
me.
She said she wouldn't be home to-
night" answered Nora; &c at least this
evening, mean, and she did not leave
word where she was gone"
Nora understood, / saw. I felt ter
ribly injured and made up my mind
to avenge myself by spending the even
ing with Sally Gray.
She was at home, the servant girl
said, and found her waiting in the par
lOr for me. We had it to ourselves.
Mrs. Robins never came in, nor any Of
the other Doarders indeed. It was now
growing late IL the season, and they
were almost all gone away. II l never
knew how to fiirt before, Sally Gray
taught me how that night, and when l
took leave of her l was imprudent
enough to tell her l should like to kiss
her.
do it, IL you desire, said she.
And then Yes, 1 kissed her; and as
did it the door opened, and we started
apart, and there stood Dolly. She had
seen it all.
"I left my bonnet here" she said.
4" Mr.. Isaac is going home with me,
and came to get it. Sorry to disturb
you"
She was very cool and eontemptuous.
She tied her bonnet on at the glass,
threw her little mantle over her should
ers, and went out. Next day she broke
our engagement and sent me back my
ring.
The next week left home and went
away 10 sea. Some one had told me
that Dolly was going to marry Ike
Robins.
Mother wrote to me often, and never
mentioned Dolly and l never asked
about her. / lived wi h men, generally
on the sea- and had 10 thought Il liking
or GAZING for any woman. l always in
tended to go home and see the old folks,
but they died of a fever within two days
the news.
Lawyer Dredgers saw TO the estate,
and did what l asked him t. do with
the money. 1 did not need it then, but
it would keep me from being a beggar
in my old age. And still l sailed the
sea. until when forty years old an acci-
dent happened to me which came near
tcinG my death. 1t did not kill me nor
cripp m", but l was no longer fit Dor
sailors life, and there was nothing left
for nae but to settle down on land and
live on ny money; and so l went home
at last to talk to Lawyer Dr. d ers, and
get his advice.
felt very sad as walked thrO gh the
village. Ny parents were dead, no one
remembered me had not a friend in
the place.
The lawyer hal done his best to make
my money profitable to me, and was
richer than DR. med
When all the business was over I
took IL mOOnl ght stroll through the
street 1t was twenty years since the
night l kissed Sally Gray, and lost my
love by it but nothing had altered in the
outward aspect OF tie place.
People were sitting on their pOrches
a o. yoIe; the same flowers SCENE to
bloom in the gardens the same loung-
er5 to stand about the tavern door; the
same young men and girls TO hang upon
the garden gates. 1t was odd to think
those | knew.
There stood the church there the par
so age. l walked toward it. The win
dows of the sitting-room were open. l
drew softly near and peeped IN.
The old clock licked in the corner.
The old rag carpet was either the same
or ano her Just like it. There was only
one blue vase on the mantel. l sup
pose the other had been broken; but
there were the Profiles OF grandpa and
grandma Wheeler over the eS,.ri, ore.
There was Dominic Wheeler, ooking
very much oldrr sitting exactly as he
used to beside the table his red
handkerchief over his knees a cup Of
tea in his hands.
Dolly" he said.
And from an inner room came wo-
man. large, handsome and high colored,
who said:
We'll, father p
Could it be my slim young Dolly7
Yes, 1t was. She was very fine-looking
now and size looked SO matronly that
Immediately concluded that she was
Mrs. Isaac Robins.
Still l could not leave the window.
1t was my one glimpse of her." I
said to myself, "for years past and
years TO come"
We'll, father ?" she said.
And turned smiling toward him.
I've been thinking it over, Dolly"
J
to marry. ! am eighty. l cannot live
long. You had better marry Mr.. Bra
ham. He is very fond of you. You like
him, am sure. Is 1t for my sake you
say no 2"
She bent over him and put her hand
on his sho alders.
Father" she said, al am going to tell
you the truth, a thing woman seldom
does in these matters. / should not
have to leave you; so it is not for your
sake, much as / love you. But 1 do not
care for MIR. Braham. 1 have only
cared for one man In my life-my first
love, james Gardner. l sent him away
! from me, and he had done very wrong;
but 1 think now that we both loved each
Other. 1 know that, even now, cannot
forget him, and that l never shall forget
him while l live"
There were tears in her eyes; she
brushed them away. In another mo-
ment 1 wa at the door; she opened it.
l held out both my hands. Those were
DUllys girlisn eyes that looked at me-
and l caught her in my arms.
Il have come back to be forgiven,
Dolly" l said, and l saw that / had not
come in vain.
The GIft of Great Utteranoe.
Some years ago there lived in Greene